Tuesday, June 29, 2010

In part one of this series (click here), we discussed a documentary about the death of the sun (view an abbreviated version here). In part two (click here), we considered the same subject from the point of view of international best-selling science popularizer Carl Sagan. According to both sources, our sun will eventually die, leaving earth vaporized and lifeless.

Today we learn that while scripture doesn't say much about the post-millennial sun, it clearly disagrees with science about earth's destiny. According to scripture, earth will become the celestialized eternal home of the righteous.

"[Earth is] the planet on which we live, created by God through Jesus Christ to be used by man during his mortal probation. Its final destiny is to become glorified and exalted (D&C 77:1-2; 130:8-9). The earth will become an eternal inheritance of those who have lived worthy of a celestial glory (D&C 88:14-26). They will enjoy the presence of the Father and the Son (D&C 76:62)." (Guide to the Scriptures, Earth)

Elder James E. Talmage said it this way:

"It is decreed that this earth shall become a celestialized, glorified sphere; such is the revealed world. Science has nothing to say on the matter; it can neither refute nor prove. But the Lord, even God, hath spoken it—and so shall it be! Amen." ("The Earth and Man," 1931, p.14.)

Scientific theories about the death of our earth and sun are only valid if the physical laws of nature continue to operate indefinitely just as we observe them now. Christ's Second Coming and Millennial reign with the eventual celestialization of earth marks a future point beyond which "science has nothing to say." Science can neither refute nor prove. "But the Lord, even God, hath spoken it—and so shall it be!"